Post by norm on Apr 20, 2007 6:47:50 GMT -5
Rumored salary for Schmidt draws ire of faculty
By: Ruthie Harper
Posted: 4/20/07
During an April 13 meeting, members of the Faculty Senate passed two motions voicing their disapproval of new basketball coach Mark Schmidt's reportedly high salary.
In two separate articles published April 11, The Olean Times Herald reported the university agreed to a seven-year, $2.1 million salary worth roughly $300,000 per year with Schmidt. The Buffalo News reported the same on April 11. Former head coach Anthony Solomon made $167,500 last season, according to tax releases.
Barry Gan, professor of philosophy, created one of the passed motions.
"I and other faculty were outraged at the reports of the salary that was currently being offered," Gan said. He said he saw the figures in The Olean Times Herald. While members the Faculty Senate did vote, it was simply to see where the senators stand on the issue.
"I don't think there's anything the Faculty Senate can do," Gan said. "Contracts are signed, offers have been made and commitments have been made. I was simply interested in making a point."
Steve Mest, associate athletic director, declined to discuss Solomon's or Schmidt's salary.
"I can't talk about any salary numbers whatsoever," Mest said. "It's our departmental policy that we don't talk about contracts or salaries of any of our employees, including our men's basketball coach."
Mest said he wasn't sure who gave the news media the salary figures.
"Any numbers that are being kicked around, I don't know where those numbers are coming from," Mest said. "They didn't come from anyone at St. Bonaventure, I can tell you that."
Gan said members of the Faculty Senate realized the reported salary number may not be accurate.
"My understanding now is that The Times Herald may have misreported, but, even if they misreported it by as much as 30 percent, it's still outrageous, and the motion was amended to reflect that," Gan said. If the newspapers did misreport by 30 percent, the accurate figure would be $210,000 per year.
Salaries for the highest paid St. Bonaventure faculty for the 2006-2007 fiscal year will be available next year when the IRS statement is made available, said Mary Kubal, assistant professor of political science and Faculty Senate member. According to the university's 2005 990 federal tax forms, Solomon was the highest paid staff member at $167, 500; the second highest was David Ferguson, former vice president of university relations, at $151,000; third highest was Frank Saal, former vice president of academic affairs, at $143,809.
In the motion, which 10 members passed, and three abstained from voting on, Gan wrote the two main reasons for opposing the salary are the values of St. Francis at St. Bonaventure and the university's current financial situation.
"There are people who work for the university who qualify for Food Stamps because they're paid so low," Gan said. "It's the apparent hypocrisy of the university when they say they don't have the money for this or that."
Kubal said frustration with the reported salary number arises because faculty members are not getting raises because of a tight budget.
"Some people see it as a slap in the face," Kubal said. "We're all told we have a really tight budget. Adjunct (professors) don't get paid much at all and haven't gotten a raise in over a decade."
In a letter mailed to faculty last semester, Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F., university president, wrote the main cause for a lack of faculty pay increases was a change in the budget planning cycle. However, in an interview with The Bona Venture in January, Sister Margaret said, "Last year, there was a very modest raise of approximately 2 percent across the board. This year, there is no raise because we are trying to conserve funds because of the enrollment shortfall." If the Times Herald report had correct figures, Schmidt's salary would be a 79 percent increase over what Solomon earned last year.
Kubal also said the salary didn't seem to mesh well with St. Francis' values.
"To be paying one individual so much, more even, I think, than the president (Sister Margaret) makes, it does seem to be a little bit out of line with values of simplicity and poverty," Kubal said. Sister Margaret's salary for 2004 was $129, 385, according to the 2005 federal tax form 990.
However, Kubal also said the university must have a balance between its traditional values of St. Francis and modern university necessities.
Karen Robbins, Faculty Senate member, said she understands the importance of basketball at St. Bonaventure but is still frustrated with the situation.
"I realize that basketball is important to St. Bonaventure, and the situation is undoubtedly complicated, but it is unseemly that a coach should be hired at such a high pay when faculty have, for years, not received raises that even keep up with inflation," said Robbins, assistant professor of history.
Sister Margaret is out of town on business and she could not be reached for comment.
Although he is frustrated, Gan also said he is not attacking the new coach.
"This is nothing against anyone who receives that kind of salary," Gan said. "Most people would love that kind of salary, and I can't blame anyone for accepting that kind of salary. It's the juxtaposition of this salary with the university's crying poor that is so troubling."
By: Ruthie Harper
Posted: 4/20/07
During an April 13 meeting, members of the Faculty Senate passed two motions voicing their disapproval of new basketball coach Mark Schmidt's reportedly high salary.
In two separate articles published April 11, The Olean Times Herald reported the university agreed to a seven-year, $2.1 million salary worth roughly $300,000 per year with Schmidt. The Buffalo News reported the same on April 11. Former head coach Anthony Solomon made $167,500 last season, according to tax releases.
Barry Gan, professor of philosophy, created one of the passed motions.
"I and other faculty were outraged at the reports of the salary that was currently being offered," Gan said. He said he saw the figures in The Olean Times Herald. While members the Faculty Senate did vote, it was simply to see where the senators stand on the issue.
"I don't think there's anything the Faculty Senate can do," Gan said. "Contracts are signed, offers have been made and commitments have been made. I was simply interested in making a point."
Steve Mest, associate athletic director, declined to discuss Solomon's or Schmidt's salary.
"I can't talk about any salary numbers whatsoever," Mest said. "It's our departmental policy that we don't talk about contracts or salaries of any of our employees, including our men's basketball coach."
Mest said he wasn't sure who gave the news media the salary figures.
"Any numbers that are being kicked around, I don't know where those numbers are coming from," Mest said. "They didn't come from anyone at St. Bonaventure, I can tell you that."
Gan said members of the Faculty Senate realized the reported salary number may not be accurate.
"My understanding now is that The Times Herald may have misreported, but, even if they misreported it by as much as 30 percent, it's still outrageous, and the motion was amended to reflect that," Gan said. If the newspapers did misreport by 30 percent, the accurate figure would be $210,000 per year.
Salaries for the highest paid St. Bonaventure faculty for the 2006-2007 fiscal year will be available next year when the IRS statement is made available, said Mary Kubal, assistant professor of political science and Faculty Senate member. According to the university's 2005 990 federal tax forms, Solomon was the highest paid staff member at $167, 500; the second highest was David Ferguson, former vice president of university relations, at $151,000; third highest was Frank Saal, former vice president of academic affairs, at $143,809.
In the motion, which 10 members passed, and three abstained from voting on, Gan wrote the two main reasons for opposing the salary are the values of St. Francis at St. Bonaventure and the university's current financial situation.
"There are people who work for the university who qualify for Food Stamps because they're paid so low," Gan said. "It's the apparent hypocrisy of the university when they say they don't have the money for this or that."
Kubal said frustration with the reported salary number arises because faculty members are not getting raises because of a tight budget.
"Some people see it as a slap in the face," Kubal said. "We're all told we have a really tight budget. Adjunct (professors) don't get paid much at all and haven't gotten a raise in over a decade."
In a letter mailed to faculty last semester, Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F., university president, wrote the main cause for a lack of faculty pay increases was a change in the budget planning cycle. However, in an interview with The Bona Venture in January, Sister Margaret said, "Last year, there was a very modest raise of approximately 2 percent across the board. This year, there is no raise because we are trying to conserve funds because of the enrollment shortfall." If the Times Herald report had correct figures, Schmidt's salary would be a 79 percent increase over what Solomon earned last year.
Kubal also said the salary didn't seem to mesh well with St. Francis' values.
"To be paying one individual so much, more even, I think, than the president (Sister Margaret) makes, it does seem to be a little bit out of line with values of simplicity and poverty," Kubal said. Sister Margaret's salary for 2004 was $129, 385, according to the 2005 federal tax form 990.
However, Kubal also said the university must have a balance between its traditional values of St. Francis and modern university necessities.
Karen Robbins, Faculty Senate member, said she understands the importance of basketball at St. Bonaventure but is still frustrated with the situation.
"I realize that basketball is important to St. Bonaventure, and the situation is undoubtedly complicated, but it is unseemly that a coach should be hired at such a high pay when faculty have, for years, not received raises that even keep up with inflation," said Robbins, assistant professor of history.
Sister Margaret is out of town on business and she could not be reached for comment.
Although he is frustrated, Gan also said he is not attacking the new coach.
"This is nothing against anyone who receives that kind of salary," Gan said. "Most people would love that kind of salary, and I can't blame anyone for accepting that kind of salary. It's the juxtaposition of this salary with the university's crying poor that is so troubling."
